Game apparatus.



i T @T PTENT OFFTQE.

ARTHUR C. AYLESW'ORTH AND G-UY T. DAHL, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

GAME APPARATUS.

iemvo.

Application filed January 2, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ARTHUR C. Armis- WORTH and GUY T. DAHL, citizens of the United. States, and residents of Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to game apparatus, and it is the object thereof to provide a novel and attractive amusement, wherein all the characteristic plays, episodes, situations, scores and the like, of various outdoor sports and games, such as baseball, may be simulated.

Our invention relates particularly to the means employed for determining the sequence of the plays or episodes which result in the development of the various situations and, subsequently, of scoring or other results tending to the winning or loss of the game.

A device embodying our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan View of the board, Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section of the indicator mechanism, Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the indicator card, showing characteristic movements of the pointer or indicator, and Fig. l is a detail side view of one of the movable pieces or men by which the various plays, episodes and situations are represented on the board.

In the illustrated embodiment of our in vention, the apparatus is designed to simulate the game of baseball, and there is provided a rectangular board or table 1 which, when in use, is disposed in a horizontal position and which, preferably, has an inclosing frame forming a raised marginal'portion 2 around the board. On the field or central part of the board there is marked, or indicated by any suitable means, a diamond formed by the home-plate 3, bases 4:, 5 and 6, and base-lines 7 delineating the path connecting the plate and bases. There is also marked, upon the board near one end, rectangular areas which are designated Bench, Out and Home, as shown. A plurality of movable pieces or men 8 are provided, each comprising a suitably formed body having at its base a sharp point or pin 9, as shown in Fig. 4:. The board is of such material that the pins 9 of the movable pieces may be pressed into the board and the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 261.

pieces thus removably secured at any desired positions thereon.

The play-indicating device is located at one corner of the board and comprises essentially a rotatable magnetized spindle 10, a freely movable pointer or indicator 11 of magnetic material adapted to be attracted by the spindle, and a card 12 having marked thereon a circular area concentric with the spindle, said circular surface-area being divided into a plurality of concentric annular spaces, the latter each being subdivided by radial lines into a plurality of arcuate spaces, and said spaces each being marked to designate a characteristic play or episode of the game for which the indicator is used to simulate. Thus, in the arrangement shown in the drawing, there are four of the annular spaces, of which the outer is divided into six parts, the two intermediate annular spaces are each divided into four parts, and the inner annular space is not subdivided. In the various spaces the several plays or episodes indicated, such as Struck out, Base on balls, Home run, Out on a foul, One base hit, etc., are each wellknown characteristic plays or episodes in the game of baseball.

The spindle 10 is disposed vertically, and the lower end thereof rests normally in a rounded depression in the bottom of a cylindrical metal cup 14 which is set into an opening in the board, as shown in Fig. 2. The top of the cup has a cover 15 of nonmagnetic material, and the spindle extends through a central perforation in said cover. On the portion of the spindle within the cup there is secured a metal disk 16. The upper end of the spindle is preferably knurled and extends far enough above the card 12 to enable it to be conveniently grasped between the thumb and finger. The spindle and the disk 16 form, in effect, a top which is so confined by the cup and cover that it may be spun only on a substantially fixed vertical axis. On receiving a suitable impetus, the momentum acquired by the disk causes the spindle to revolve for an indeterminable time before coming to rest. The pointer or indicator .111 is formed by a thin flat piece of magnetic material such as soft iron, one end thereof being rounded, the other end being somewhat pointed, and the sides or longitudinal edges preferably being slightly concave, as shown.

When the indicator is laid upon the surface of the card 12 adjacent to the magnetized spindle, the magnetic attraction between said parts causes one edge of the indicator to adhere to the spindle, and when the spindle is revolved the indicator is moved thereby so that all parts of the edge or periphery of the indicator are successively brought into contact with the spindle. The resultant movement of the indicator causes the pointed end thereof to move about upon the card in a very peculiar and irregular path, of which an approximate idea may be obtained by reference to Fig. 3. In said figure, the indicator being in the position represented by full lines and the spindle being revolved to the right or clockwise, the pointed end of the indicator will be moved in approximately the path indicated by the serles' of arrows, the varlous positions of the indicator as a whole being such that one edge thereof is constantly in contact with the spindle While the pointed end is at the successive positions indicated. Two characteristic positions of the indicator are shown by dotted lines in said Fig. 3. It will be seen that by continued movement of the indicator the point thereof will pass over all parts of the circular area marked upon the card 12, .and in time will reach each of the" subdivisions of said circular area; but that owing to the irregularity of the movement, due to varying speeds of the spindle and to variations in the friction between the indicator and the surface of the card, the movements of the indicator cannot be definitely predetermined, and that when the spindle comes to rest after having been spun the indicator may lie indiscriminately at any position upon the card.

In the use of the apparatus shown, the movable pieces 8 at the beginning of a game are all placed in the space on the board marked Bench. The player then spins the magnetic spindle, and when the same comes to rest the indicator will point to one of the spacesor subdivisions of the indicator-card. The play or episode indicated in said space is then represented upon the board by a suitable disposition of one or more of the movable pieces, the spindle is again spun and, upon coming to rest, the second play or episode of the game is-shown by the indicator. This play or episode is then represented upon the board by suitable dispositions of the movable pieces, and the process is continued until the inning is concluded by Copies of this patent may'be obtained for the third out being made. The movable pieces or men are then returned to the bench position and another inning begun and played in like manner. The spaces marked Out and Home are used respectively for placing the pieces 8 representing players who have been put out, and players who have completed the circuit of the bases and thus made a run or score.

It will be obvious that various other wellknown sports and games might be simulated by suitable marking of the indicator-spaces on the card 12, and the provision on the board 1 of corresponding means for representing the plays or episodes of the game as the same are directed by the operation of the indicator device.

Now, having described our invention, what we claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game apparatus, a rotatable magnetized spindle, a plane-surfaced member through which the spindle extends, an indicator of magnetic material resting on said member and freely movable thereon, and indicating areas marked on said member concentrically with the spindle and at varying radial distances therefrom, said areas indicating a series of characteristic plays and episodes of a game.

2. In' a game apparatus, a horizontal plane-surfaced member having a plurality of indicating-spaces thereon lying Within a circular area, said spaces being at varying radial distances from the center of said circular area and designating various plays and episodes of a game, an indicator of magnetic material disposed upon and freely movable upon the surface of said member, and a magnetized spindle disposed centrally to said circular area and rotatable on an axis perpendicular to said surface, said spindle when rotated moving the indicator both radially and circumferentially about the axis thereof, whereby the indicator will pass over each of the indicating-spaces and may come to rest indiscriminately upon any one of said spaces.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two witnesses.

A. C. AYLESVVORTH. G. T. DAHL. Witnesses:

D. O. BARNELL, C. W. HUDSON;

five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

